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Blue Buffalo is a popular cat food brand, but does the food live up to its reputation? In this cat food test we find out if this food is the best option for you.
The purpose of this site is to help cat owners learn more about caring for their cats. I am not a veterinarian and recommend seeking veterinary advice if you have further questions.
The advice in this article is not intended to be medical advice.
Let's go to the article.
Blue Buffalo just misses the target with most of its range. And there's a lot...
First, dry food is too high in carbohydrates for a cat's needs. Then there are the excess of vegetable ingredients like potatoes, peas and brown rice.
It does best with its variety of wet foods. They offer two great options in their wet food range Blue Wilderness and Blue Carnivora.
If only the rest of your options matched the quality.
In this article, I will detail the products in the Blue Buffalo cat food line.
Finally, I address some frequently asked questions about Blue Buffalo cat food. That way you can learn more about the brand and how I rated this cat food.
Based on our rating system, Blue Buffalo is mostly bad. Much of their variety includes ingredients like rice and potatoes that aren't necessary in a cat's diet.
Our highest rated product is the Blue Carnivora Woodlands blend with a score of 93/100. This is due to the high use of corned beef and the absence of cereals.
Our lowest rated product is Blue Blissful Belly Dry Food with a minimum score of 20/100. It seems more like a case of "blissful ignorance" with this food, with lots of grains and potatoes at the top of the list.
It seems common for Blue to use a lot of marketing (eg "natural", "happy") on their products. While these terms sound nice, the bottom line is that cats are carnivores.
Oats are natural, but not "natural" in a cat's diet.
Meat, organs and bones are.
They also claim that sunflower oil and flaxseed are good sources of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids for cats.
Well no.
Cats cannot use plant-based fatty acids. Meat only.
There are only two products that I would recommend at a glance.
We rate cat food 100 points. The score can overstate or understate true "quality" (which is why it's important to consult my nutrition section for the complete picture).
A higher score is a sign of better food quality. Ingredient weighing is based on labels like these wordscorrespond to different amounts of food. This is taken into account in the ranking.
| Blue Buffalo Product Range | featured product | label type | Ingredient quality index | Ingredients |
| Blue for cats (dry) | chicken and brown rice recipe | Revenue | 30/100 | Boneless Chicken, Chicken Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal(source of omega-3 fatty acids), brown rice, barley, oats, peas, pea protein,dry egg, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato starch, powdered cellulose, natural flavor, linseed (source of omega-6 fatty acids), choline chloride, DL-methionine, calcium sulfate, potassium chloride, Calcium Chloride, Pea Fiber, Potatoes, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Alfalfa Flour, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate, Blueberries Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Salt, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Color Vegetable Juice, Sulfate Ferrous, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Seaweed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Sulfate, Mononitrate Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Amino Acid Copper Chelate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), L-Lysine, Biotin (Vitamin B7), L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Chelate Manganese Amino Acid, Piri Hydrochloride Doxin (Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Lactobacillus acidophilus dry fermentation product, Aspergillus niger fermented dry extract, Trichoderma longibrachiatum dry fermented extract, Bacillus subtilis dry fermented extract, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, rosemary oil |
| Blue Desert (dry) | salmon recipe | Revenue | 66/100 | Boneless Salmon, Chicken Flour, pea protein, peas, tapioca starch,Menhaden fish meal (source of omega-3 fatty acids), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried egg, flaxseed (source of omega-6 fatty acids), natural flavor, pea fiber, calcium chloride, DL-methionine, choline chloride, directly dried alfalfa granules, potatoes, dried chicory root, taurine, sulphate Potassium, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Salt, Sweet Potato, Carrot Pickled with Mixed Tocopherols, Vegetable Juice for Color, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Seaweed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Amino Acid Chelate Copper, L-carnitine, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), L-lysine, biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Ribof Lavina (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Dry Yeast, Enterococcus faecium Dry Fermentation Product, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Dried Fermentation Product, Aspergillus niger Dry Fermentation Extract, Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation dry extract, Bacillus subtilis fermentation dry extract, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, rosemary oil |
| Basic blue (trocken) | Skin and stomach care Grain-free turkey and potato recipe | Revenue | 28/100 | Peru desossado, prato de peru,Pea Protein, Peas, Tapioca Starch, Pea Starch, Potatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed (source of Omega-6 Fatty Acids), Natural Flavouring,fish oil(Source of omega-3 fatty acids), Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Calcium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine, Pumpkin, Dried Chicory Root, Salt, L-Lysine, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate Calcium, Calcium Chloride, Preserved Vitamin E Supplement with Tocopherol Blend, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Sap for Color, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Cranberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Seaweed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Biotin (Vitamin B7) , Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid ( Vitamin B9), Dry Yeast, Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Dry Extract, Lactobacillus Acidophilus-Fe Fermentation Dry Extract, Fermentation Dry Extract Aspergillus niger, Fermentation Dry Extract Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Dry Extract, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Calcium Selenite, Rosemary Oil |
| Blue Liberty (dry) | Indoor Adult Chicken Recipe | Revenue | 22/100 | Boneless Chicken, Chicken Meal, tapioca starch, pea, pea protein, potato,Chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Menhaden fish meal(source of omega-3 fatty acids), pea fiber, cellulose powder, flaxseed (source of omega-6 fatty acids), natural flavor, choline chloride, calcium sulfate, DL-methionine, potassium chloride, Dried Alfalfa Flour, Calcium Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Salt, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Taurine, Preserved Calcium Carbonate with Mixed Tocopherols, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Vegetable Juice for Coloring, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin ( Vitamin B3), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Cranberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Seaweed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine B1 Mononitrate) , copper chelate amino acid, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), L-lysine, L-carnitine, biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, manganese chelate amino acid, manganese hydrochloride pyridoxine (vitamin B6), panto Calcium Tenate (Vi Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B 12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Dried Yeast, Enterococcus faecium Dry Ferment Product, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Dry Ferment Product, Aspergillus niger Ferment Extract Dry Brew Extract, Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Dry Brew Extract, Bacillus subtilis Dry Brew Extract, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Oil |
| Blue True Solutions (seco) | happy belly | none | 20/100 | Boneless Chicken, Chicken Meal,Brown rice, pea protein, barley,dry egg, avena,chicken fat(preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato starch, dried beet pulp, flaxseed (source of omega-3 fatty acids), natural flavor, dried tomato pomace, peas, calcium chloride, choline chloride, DL- methionine, calcium sulfate, L-threonine, calcium carbonate, rapeseed oil (source of omega-6 fatty acids), potassium chloride, potato, hydrolyzed yeast, fructooligosaccharides, potassium sulfate, taurine, dehydrated alfalfa flour, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Salt, Mix Conservated Vitamin E Supplement Tocopherols, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Tryptophan, Sap for Color, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Chelate Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Cranberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Seaweed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), L-Lysine, Supple Vitamin A, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridin Toxin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Dried Yeast, Enterococcus faecium dry fermentation product, product Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation dry extract, Aspergillus niger fermentation dry extract, Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation dry extract, Bacillus subtilis fermentation dry extract, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Calcium Iodate Calcium, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Oil |
| Blue kitten recipes (dry) | chicken and brown rice recipe | Revenue | 34/100 | Boneless Chicken, Chicken Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal(source of omega-3 fatty acids), brown rice, barley, oats,chicken fat(preserved with mixed tocopherols), pea protein, peas,dry eggproduct, natural flavor,fish oil(Source of Arachidonic Acid ARA and Docosahexaenoic Acid DHA), Cellulose Powder, Flaxseed (Source of Omega-6 Fatty Acids), DL-Methionine, Calcium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Potato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Alfalfa Flour, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Sweet Potatoes, Mixed Tocopherol from Preserved Carrots, Color Vegetable Juice, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Cranberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Seaweed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Amino Acid Chelate copper, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), L-lysine, biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, manganese chelate amino acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Ribo Flavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Fol (Vitamin B9), Dried Yeast, Enterococcus faecium Dry Fermentation Product, Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product Dry Extract, Aspergillus Niger Dry Ferment Extract, Ferment Extract Trichoderma longibrachiatum dry extract, Bacillus subtilis dry fermentation extract, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, rosemary oil |
| Blue for Cats Tastefuls (wet) | chicken appetizer | main meadow | 51/100 | Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, Natural Flavor, Brown Rice, Guar Gum, Sweet Potato, Cellulose Powder, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Carrageenan, Taurine, Fish Oil, Cassia Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Amino Acid Zinc Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) preserved with mixed tocopherols |
| Blue desert (wet) | Chicken and turkey in gravy recipe | Revenue | 71/100 | chicken, chicken broth, Water,Turkey, chicken liver, dried egg, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Salt, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Amino Acid Iron Chelate, Amino Acid Chelate Zinc, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1) , Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B6) Supplement B2), Vitamin A, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) |
| basic blues (nass) | Internal turkey and potato appetizer | main meadow | 32/100 | turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver,Potatoes, natural flavorings, carrots, peas, fish oil (source of omega 3 fatty acids), carrageenan, cassia gum, linseed (source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids), cellulose powder, blueberries, blueberries, pumpkin, guar gum , Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Salt, Choline Chloride, Sunflower Oil (source of omega-6 fatty acids), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C ), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) |
| Liberty Blue (wet) | Indoor chicken recipe | Revenue | 48/100 | Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, carrot, sweet potato, natural flavoring, linseed (source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids), cellulose powder, guar gum, potassium chloride, salt, taurine, fish oil, blueberries, bilberries, choline chloride, carrageenan , Cassia Gum, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) preserved with mixed tocopherols |
| Blue True Solutions (húmedo) | happy belly | none | 32/100 | chicken, chicken broth, daddies,chicken liver, white fish, potato starch, potato protein, dehydrated beet pulp, natural flavoring, brown rice, linseed, carrageenan, taurine, fructooligosaccharide, guar gum, potassium chloride, carrot, apple, pea, DL-methionine, salt, choline chloride , vitamin E supplement, calcium carbonate, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin (Vitamin B3) Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Calcium Iodide potassium, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid (vitamin B9) |
| blue carnivores | forest mix | 95% | 93/100 | chicken liver, duck, mackerel, Essential Nutrients and Other Ingredients: Natural Flavor, Pumpkin, Carrot, Carrageenan, Cassia Gum, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Guar Gum, Minerals [Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Amino Acid of Manganese, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide], Choline Chloride, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)], Salt |
Our nutritional quality index for Blue Buffalo cat food is listed below.
The quality of the Blue Buffalo's diet is average. Blue Buffalo dry cat food is high in carbohydrates, while wet cat food is lower.
Most Blue Buffalo cat foods meet the AAFCO Adult Nutritional Guidelines.
Protein is also important for older cats who have poor protein digestion. Blue Buffalo products are not intended for older cats and I would not recommend them for older cats.
The dry food range contains more than 30% carbohydrates in dry matter. This is well above ideal for cats (<12% dry matter).
Cats are carbohydrate intolerant andcannot digest excess carbohydrates. This means that dry food will not be a good option for your long-term health.
Blue Buffalo wet food is significantly cheaper. The exception is Blue Buffalo Wet Blissful Belies (23.5% protein on a dry matter basis).
There is not much information about the micronutrients in the Blue Buffalo range. A high calcium to phosphate ratio is important forolder catsto maintain kidney health.
Information is lacking and products are (mostly) adult-only from AAFCO. For these reasons, I would not choose the Blue Buffalo for a cat over 12 years old.
Here is the nutritional information for selected products from the Blue Buffalo cat food range:
Our nutritional quality index for Blue Buffalo cat food is listed below.
Blue Buffalo cat food has positive reviews online,in the first placefor a range of dry foods.
Our feline taste testing team hasn't had a chance to try Blue Buffalo yet. Ratings are between 80-100% for online reviews.
Your cat will likely enjoy Blue Buffalo products.
Bishop wanted to make better quality food after his dog Blue had health issues related to a cancer diagnosis.
While the company started with dogs, Blue Buffalo also entered the cat food market.
Blue Buffalo cat food is made in US facilities and is sourced worldwide.
They have two facilities in different US states.
Blue Buffalo has a history of few recalls.
There are currently no links to Blue Buffalo cat food.
... It's a disease we take very seriously, and we have a team of animal scientists and nutritionists working with the FDA and industry experts to find answers for pet owners.
It is not known if this issue affects Blue Buffalo cat food. In the 1980s, food for cats with taurine deficiency caused many diseases.
The taurine content in canned wet food is lower than in dry food, possibly due to the addition of chewing gum (which can affect digestion). Blue Buffalo uses gum and carrageenan in many of its products.
While this doesn't seem like a problem, it's something to keep in mind for the future.
Blue Buffalo is a cat food in the low to medium price segment. Their prices vary from one product to another. The price is influenced by the crowd.
Their dry cat food variety is cheaper than their wet cat food variety, pound for pound.
Yes, Blue Buffalo cat food is AAFCO approved for preservation. Some products are approved for kittens or older cats. look at the productVisit the Blue Buffalo website for more information..
Canned and dry cat foods are formulated to meet the nutritional values established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.
The main advantages of Blue Buffalo cat food are the use of real meat instead of by-products, affordability and the avoidance of wheat, corn and soy products. Blue Buffalo has positive online reviews and satisfaction guarantees on their products.
They also provide transparency and accountability for your company regarding complaints.
Using real meat products gives you peace of mind knowing you are not getting unsightly sources of meat in your diet from a variety of animals and body parts.
Cornmeal is a source of protein that many brands use, but it can increase the risk of constipation: Blue Buffalo does not use cornmeal as a protein source.
Another benefit of Blue Buffalo is the company's social proof. The brand has many customers and good reviews from owners who are satisfied with their products. If you are not satisfied with your products, you can get a 100% refund for unused food.
The main disadvantages of Blue Buffalo cat food are the higher levels of carbohydrate components (especially in the dry range) and the use of carrageenan in all of their canned wet cat food products.
Blue Buffalo is a brand that started with dogs. Dogs, like humans, are omnivores.Cats are considered carnivores.. This possibly explains the "dog" ingredient list for the cat food line.
Fortunately, there are some low-carb options in the Blue Buffalo line (eg Blue Wilderness and Carnivora) if you're concerned about the carb content of some of their varieties or if you have a diabetic cat.
The addition of carrageenan is a controversial food ingredient that many people are suspicious of. It is a natural ingredient found in seaweed.
Blue Buffalo is a popular brand of cat food that falls short in nutritional quality. Dry foods are high in carbohydrates and can affect digestion.
There are limited options for older cats. On the plus side, some of the wet foods are good options for adult cats.
There are many positive reviews for the Blue Buffalo, so there's a better chance your cat will like the food.
Overall though... I think the Blue Buffalo is just not worth the money. There are many great alternatives even on a limited budget.